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Back Counting Down with You Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  6. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  7. Part 1
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. Part 2
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. Part 3
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. 47
  57. 48
  58. 49
  59. 50
  60. 51
  61. 52
  62. 53
  63. 54
  64. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I shouldn’t be surprised Ace is struggling with English. I am surprised he reached out for help.

I just wish I wasn’t the one stuck helping him.

Ace doesn’t show up.

I sit in the library, waiting for a whole thirty minutes, and he doesn’t show up. It’s beyond frustrating and, if the thought didn’t tie my stomach into painful knots, I’d head upstairs right now to tell Miss Cannon.

But I don’t want her to think I gave up before I even tried.

I wait a few more minutes, then decide to check out a US History textbook so I can work on my homework in my newfound free time. If I have to be here, I can at least be productive.

At four, the bell rings, signaling an end to after-school tutoring. Students start to leave the library, heading for their respective clubs.

I try to tamp down my annoyance at the empty seat across from me.

My group chat with Nandini and Cora buzzes with notifications, distracting me from homework.

Cora Zhang-Agreste:

SO??? HOW DID IT GO??? IS #KARSTAIR OFFICIALLY A THING?

Nandini Kaur:

I want it on record that I prefer #ACEKARINA!!! but also YEAH UPDATE US WHAT IS GOING ONNNN

Me:

I literally cannot stand EITHER of you!!! he hasn’t even showed up so... [pretends to be shocked]

Cora Zhang-Agreste:

ugh men are such flops

Cora Zhang-Agreste:

they really can’t do a single thing right

Nandini Kaur:

I guess we should’ve known but damn. it was nice to have hope for like 2 seconds lmao

Me:

not to say I told you so but I told you so!!! plus I’M NOT TRYING TO DATE HIM SO CAN Y’ALL CHILL

Cora Zhang-Agreste:

chilling? never heard of that concept!

I go to my locker, pack my things, and grab an umbrella. It’s raining outside, though it wasn’t an hour ago. Another reason to be irritated.

If I had a confrontational bone in my body, I would hunt down Ace and demand to know why he’s forcing me into this awkward and horribly anxiety-inducing situation.

As it is, all I can do is wait for tomorrow.

5

T-MINUS 26 DAYS

During my free period the next day, I finish the study guide I started working on last night. Admittedly, I did it more for Miss Cannon than Ace. I want her to know I gave this every effort, that I actively tried to help him. It’s not much, but it’s something to show initiative on my part.

Giving him a study guide also means I won’t have to deal with this tutoring situation anymore. The problem will be out of my hands.